Sign



Oct. 24, 1933. H. EASTERDAY ET AL SIGN Filed Jan. 14. 1932 INVENTORS, fi/fler Easierday BY 777076 J. flood/0e. f

ATTORNEYS.

Patented Oct. 24, 1933 7 SIGN Homer Easterday and Elmore L. Goodloe, Kansas City, Mo., assignors, by mesne assignments, to POint-O-Purchase Company, Kansas City,-Mo., a corporation of Missouri Application January 14,1932. Serial No. 586,510

4 Claims. (01. 40-132) This invention relates to multi-panel signs and particularly illuminated signs having a single source of illumination disposed to thoroughly light all the panels of the sign without creating excessive bright spots at any point. 7

One of the primary objects of the instant invention is the contemplation of a sign structure wherein is incorporated a completely insulated case having an appropriate liner therein, which is specially formed along the top of said case to create a reflector and a ventilating chamber that is positioned between the case top and said reflector. I

A yet further object of this invention is to provide a uniquerefiecting unit within a sign casing, which reflector is designed and built to eliminate blind spots and which is likewise made to cast an even glow of light throughout the entire area of two opposed sign panels, the lower edges of which lie in substantially the same plane as the lower edge of the reflector.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a unique sign panel for illuminated signs, which panel is formed of colored,translucent, fibrous and flexible material that is treated with an opaque substance for the purpose of creating indicia thereon. v I,

The present invention further contemplates specific forms of construction which combine to make a multi-panel illuminated sign that is provided with a fixed and a removable panel at each of its two oppositely directed faces, the upper-.

most panel being formed of material as set down above.

Many minor objects of the invention will Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary,vertical section through the upper portion of one side of the sign. V r

Fig. 5 is an enlarged, detailed, sectional view through one of the lower corners of the sign,

illustrating the relation of parts at that point.

Fig. 6 is a face view of one of the removable panels which forms a part of one side of this sign, and,

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary section through a portion of the panel, taken on line VIL-VII of Fig. 6.

One embodimentof the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing and like parts of. the several views are designated by similar reference characters. The numeral 10 indicates a casing formedpreferably of aluminum, treated by a special process which renders the same nonconductive to currents up to 220 volts. This insulating process is well known in the trade and the means and method whereby aluminium might be so treated is fully disclosed in existing patents. It is desirable to render case 10 of this sign completely non-conductive so that in the event of short circuits inthe wiring of the sign, no shock could be received by touching any part of case 10. Obviously, case 10 might be overlayed with insulating material 9 of any desirable nature, but since the process just above mentioned is effective in rendering the metal thoroughly insulated and ;also in producing a desirable finish, it is preferred to use this expedient for the purpose set down.

In producing an insulated case 10, the finish adheres to all surfaces of the sheet metal and in the case of otherwise overlaying all parts of the case 19, the insulating material would, of necessity, eliminate any reflecting properties which the surface of case 10 might have. It is therefore necessary to line the bottom, sides and top of case 10 with a liner 12 which should be highly polished and susceptible of reflecting rays from electric light bulb or similar illuminating means li.

This illuminating means is supported by the bottom liner l2 and conductors 15 may lead thereinto fr om any suitable source of electrical energy. Case 10 has two oppositely facing sides provided with means for receiving transparent or translucentsign panels 16 and 18 respectively. Panel 16 is fixed while panel 18 is removable and in order to provide for such expedient, channels or slots 20 are formed to receive panel 18 after it is introduced thereinto from one side of casing 10. (See Figs. 3 and 4.) The lowermost panel 16' is introduced into the structure of casing 10 from the bottom thereof and is moved into place before the lower part of case 10 is completely assembled. After placing panel 16, it is secured against removal or dropping out of position by the, angle 21, which is held in place by the assembly bolt 22. As illustrated in Fig. 5, this assembly bolt likewise secures in: position liners 12, which overlie the bottom and adjoiningside of case 10. Ventilating apertures 24 are provided along the central portion of the hotthat cool air passes to thoroughly ventilate and protect the panels forming the two oppositely facing display sides.

Fixed panel 16 is considerably wider than removable panel 18 and as illustrated, the two are in substantially thesame plane, the smaller being above the larger. A V-shaped reflector 26 should be provided within case 10 at the top thereof to extend downwardly toward illuminating means 14 a distance substantially equal to the width of removable panel 18. side or the meeting edge of the inclined sides of reflector 26 is in substantially the same plane as the bottom edge of removable panel 18. A series of openings 28 is formed along each side of reflector 26 adjacent the top of case 10 to receive air from within sign case 10 after it has passed upwardly along the inner side of both panels 16 and 18 at both sides of the sign.

Removing heated air'from within the sign at thesepoints'insures perfect ventilation and precludes excessive heating of the sign panels. A ventilating chamber 30, formed by the two sides of reflector 26 and-the top 82 of case 10, receives the heated air from within the sign case before itleaves through holes34. One of theimportant features of the invention is the formation of reflector-26 by liner 12 and since but a single electric light is normally used within casing 10, it is important that reflector 26 be flared adjacent each end thereof to present arcuate surfaces 36, all of which are utilized in directing the rays of light from illuminating means l l'toward and through the appropriate panel 16 or 18. As il-' lustrated in Fig. 3, reflector 26 is flared to mergeels.

The dividing bar '38 between removable and fixed panels 18 and 16respectively is supported by a'channel-forming member 40 as shown in Fig. l. This member has a comparatively large wing 42 at eachend thereof that is held behind liner 12 at theends of case 19. An assembly bolt i l passes through this wing 42, the side of case-10 and and liner 12 to maintain all the parts in rigid relation" at this point. A channel 46 formed by member 40 receives the lower edge of removable panel 18 after it has been moved thereinto through slot 20 at one end of sign case 10.

In practice this sign is to be distributed by large manufacturers who desire to advertise their commodity through the medium of the fixed panel sign 16. When the sign is made and placed in'the individual dealers hands, fixed panel16 is in place and cannot be removed without dis assembling the entire structure.

Dealers displaying the sign are desirous of placing their own signs in position above fixed Figs. Sand 7 illustrate the specific construction That is to say, the lower tom of case 10, and it is through these apertures embodied in these removable panels 18. These panels are made by what is known in the art as processing, but so long as the panel includes a base 48 and a partial coating of opaque substance 50, placed in such a manner as to form indicia 52, the same is formed in accordancewith this invention. In the instance illustrated, base 48 is of heavy colored translucent paper stock or similar fibrous, flexible material having a partial coating of opaque substance 50, such as black paint or ink.

Panel 18 is reenforced through the medium of clips 54 fastened along each end respectively of base 48. The longitudinal edges of panel 18 are inclined inwardly at the ends thereof as at 56 to facilitate inserting the sign and prevent bending as the same is moved along channel 46 to and from the displayed position. Each of the oppositely facing sides of the multi-panel sign is the same. The bottom of case 10 should be supported in spaced relation to the table upon which the sign is resting to allow free ingress of air through openings 24. This point may be carried out by projecting the ends of case 10 downwardly beyond the bottom thereof and forming feet '58 thereon.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is: l

1. A multi-panel sign comprising a case; a pair of oppositely facing display sides on the case; illuminating means within the case between said sides; each of said sides comprising a fixed panel and a removable panel disposed in the same plane; and a reflectorin the case above said illuminating means, said reflector being a -shaped and flared outwardly from its major longitudinal alignment adjacent its ends as shown and described. a

2. In a'multi-panel sign, a case; a pair of op-' positely facing display sides on the case a lining for the bottom, ends and top of said case; and illuminating'means within the case intermediate the ends thereof and between said dispay sides, said lining being formed'across the top of said case to present a V-shaped reflector extending" downwardly toward said illuminating means, said reflector being flared toward the sides of the case at each end thereof as said ends are approached from the illuminating means.

3. In a multi-panel'sign, a case; a pair of oppositely facing display sides on the case; an illuminating means between said sides; a reflector within the case and extending downwardly from the top thereof toward said iluminating means, said display sides each comprising a fixed panel anda removable panel, said removable panel being disposed above the said fixed panel, in 51113 stantially the same plane therewith and having its lower edge positioned in the same general horizontal plane as the fiector.

4. In a sign, an indiciacarryin'g panel compris-' ing'abase of colored translucent fibrous flexible material; a partial coating of opaque substance carried by said base whereby toform indicia; the longitudinal edges of said panel being inclined inwardly'at the ends thereof; and reenforcing clips along each end of said base, said clips extending the distance between said inclined portion of the longitudinaledges.

HOMER EASTERDAY.

ELMORE L. GOODLOE.

lowermost edge of said re- 

